The technology of compressing a part of a body to improve circulation can be applied to several medical conditions, such as peripheral artery disease, venous insufficiency, lymphedema, and prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a large vein, usually in the leg or pelvis. Sometimes the blood clot detaches from the site of formation and becomes mobile. If the circulating clot moves through the heart to the lungs, it can block an artery supplying blood to the lungs, resulting in pulmonary embolism. The disease process that includes DVT and/or pulmonary embolism is called venous thromboembolism (VTE). Each year in the United States, approximately 350,000-900,000 persons develop VTE, and of those, approximately 100,000 die. Additionally, 30%-50% of persons with lower-extremity DVT develop a long-term complication that causes swelling, pain, discoloration, and, in severe cases, ulcers in the affected limb.
It is therefore desirable to provide an effective, user friendly, and patient compliant pneumatic compression device and garment, including a system in order to achieve effective treatment, which are important components to promoting patient compliance and positive clinical outcomes.